tietjen



(ModeL) 2 Sheets-Sheet 1.

' F. O. LANG 85 J. F. TIETJEN.

ADJUSTABLE KEBL BLOCK. No. 298,098. Patented May 6, 1884.

ATTORNEYSL (ModeL) 2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

F. G. LANG & J; F. TIETJEN.

ADJUSTABLE KEEL BLOCK. No. 298,098. v Patented May 6,1884.

Fly 2.

@TNESSES: YE O ATTORNEYS.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

FREDERICK O. LANG AND JOHN F. TIETJEN, OF RONDOUT, NEW YORK.

ADJUSTABLE KEEL-BLOCK.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 298,098, dated May 6, 1884. Application filed February 21, 1884. (Model) To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that we, FREDERICK O. LANG and JoHN F. TIETJEN, both of Rondout, in the county of Ulster and State of New York, have invented a new and ImprovedAdj ustable Keel-Block, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

In supporting vessels u po'n dry-docks twenty or more blocks, cadled keel-blocks, are placed along the floor of the dock for the keel of the vessel to rest upon; and in order to avoid strain upon the vessel it is necessary to have each block support its share of the weight, and as the kee'ls of vessels are always more or less out of line difficulty is experienced in arranging the keel-blocks at the proper height.

Our invention seeks to overcome this difficulty; and it consists of the special construction of the keel-blocks, the same being composed, essentially, ofan arrangement of inclines or wedges, all as hereinafter fully described and claimed.

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings, forming part of this specification, in which similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in all the figures.

Figure 1 is a longitudinal sectional elevation of a dry-dock, showing a vessel supported upon our new and improved keel-block. Fig. 2 is a front elevation of ,the same.- Fig. 3 is a side elevation of one of the keel-blocks, and Fig. 4 is a transverse sectional elevation of the same, taken on the line 00 00 of Fig. 2.

A represents the dry-dock; and B B represent our new and improved keel-blocks, that are adapted to be adjusted vertically to support the keel of the vessel 0 throughout its length. The keel-blocks B are each composed of the lower inclined block, at, upper inclined block, b, and wedge c, interposed between the said upper and lower inclined blocks. The lower surface of the lower block, a, and the upper surface of the upper block, b, are straight and parallel with each other, while the adjacent surfaces of these blocks are oppositely inclined, to fit the faces of the wedge c, and the said upper and lower inclined blocks, a b, are connected together preferably by the pivoted S-shaped connecting plates or rods d,

and the lower block, a, is provided with the fenders f, which serve as guides to the wedge c and prevent it from lateral displacement, and the wedge c is connected with the blocks a b by the staples e, which fit loosely over the connecting-plates d and fenders f, so as to permit the wedge 0 to be moved backward and forward between the blocks a b'for raising and lowering the upper block, b, as indicated in full and dotted lines in Fig. 2.

In using the keel-blocks B the wedge a will be drawn backward, lowering the upper inclined block, b, as far as the staple 6 will permit. Then the blocks will be placed upon the floor of the drydock A, under the keel of the vessel to be raised as ordinary keel-blocks are, and then the wedges 0 will be forced forward, raising the upper blocks, 12, until the upper edges thereof come fairly the vessel, and then the water will be pumped out of the dry-dock in the usual manner, which will cause the vessel to be lifted and supported upon the blocks B evenly throughout its length, each block supporting its share of the weight, no matter what irregularity may exist in the keel.

Havir lg thus described our invention, what we claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

l. The keel-block B, composed of the upper and lower inclined blocks, a I). connected together by pivoted S-shaped plates and interposed wedge c, connected to said plates by staples 6, arranged to operate substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

2. The inclined upper and lower blocks, a I), connected by the S-shaped plates or rods (1, the lower block being provided with the fenders f, in combination with the wedge c, interposed between the said inclined blocks and fenders and connected to the fenders f and con necting-plates (Z by the staples e, substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

FREDERICK o. LANG. JOHN F. TlETJEN.

Witnesses:

JOHN HUssEY, STEPHAN DUFFY.

against the keel of 

